Small business owners, skilled workers, realtors and educators voice strong support for efforts aimed at landing a major project
FLINT, Mich. — Dozens of small-business owners, labor groups, educators and community stakeholders are rallying behind the ongoing work of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance to attract a company to theAdvanced Manufacturing District (AMD) in Mundy Township.
“As someone who grew up in Mundy Township and has spent more than 30 years of my professional career in the local electrical industry, I know our community needs more local jobs,” said Gregory Remington, business manager and financial secretary for IBEW Local 948, which represents more than 400 skilled trades men and women. “Our group is among many in Genesee County supporting the Alliance’s ongoing work to attract a project that will provide job opportunities for so many now and long into the future.”
Remington and his organization are among more than 30 businesses, organizations and community stakeholders supporting efforts to attract an advanced manufacturer to the 1,300-acre site in Mundy Township for a project that would create at least 2,000 jobs and pump $2 billion into Michigan’s economy.
The Alliance, a division of the Flint & Genesee Group, is working to add acreage to the AMD, which is considered the premier advanced manufacturing site in the United States. The organization owns over 1,206 acres of the site in Mundy Township and expects to finalize the purchase of 18 additional parcels in the coming weeks.
“Creating a turnkey site that is attractive to an advanced manufacturer will allow us to bring back jobs that have been outsourced and lost to foreign countries in the past,” said Christopher Wise, vice president of the Randy Wise Automotive Team. “Our region has a strong work ethic and a rich manufacturing heritage and now, with this site, we have an opportunity to be home to new and developing technology.”
The development of the AMD also continues to benefit a number of local community organizations and public safety agencies in Genesee County, including:
- the Mundy Township Fire Department and the METRO Police Authority of Genesee County, which recently trained their officers and first responders for emergency situations at a building that will be included in the site,
- Habitat for Humanity in Genesee County, which received access to materials from structures that will eventually be part of the AMD so they can be reused,
- Local construction business, Lurvey Construction, which is partnering with Mott Community College’s Youth Build program to give students hands-on training as part of the company’s work on the site.
“We are honored to work with incredible organizations that provide so much to our community while we make progress on creating the best site in North America for an advanced manufacturer,” said Tyler Rossmaessler, the executive director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “Bringing a large-scale employer to Michigan means we are helping to bring our supply chain back to the United States and better compete with our economic adversaries, including China.”
Bringing an advanced manufacturer to Michigan will create thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars in investment. The ripple effect of such a project will be felt in every corner of the Great Lakes state.
“New jobs that come with a new project attract new residents and families, creating more demand for housing and increasing property values,” said Kristy Cantleberry, who lives in Genesee County and owns a local boutique real estate business. “Such a project will offer opportunities for our young people so they won’t have to move away to find good-paying jobs.”
Information about the AMD and the letter of support for efforts to bring an advanced manufacturer to the community can be found online at GeneseeJobs.org.
